Grimaldi Orders Three PCTCs
After signing an order for the construction of five new ships two weeks ago, the Italian shipowner Grimaldi Group has signed another contract for the construction of three new PCTC-type ships (Pure Car and Truck Carriers) at the Chinese Jinling shipyard, for a total investment of $165 million.
These PCTCs are estimated to be delivered to the shipping company during 2017. The contract also calls for an option for the construction of an additional unit.
The three latest PCTC orders are planned to be employed on the Group's regular service connecting the Mediterranean with North America to transport mainly brand new vehicles that are manufactured by Fiat Chrysler Automobiles to meet US and Canadian market needs. The vessels will have the capacity to accommodate 6,700 cars on eight decks, four of which are hoistable.
The new ships will be equipped with eight decks, four fixed and four moveable, which make it capable of transporting 6,700 cars. “These new orders will renew our group’s fleet of car carriers so as to satisfy new demands from the market,” the Grimaldi Group’s president, Gianluca Grimaldi, and Chief Executives, Emanuele Grimaldi and Diego Pacella, proudly commented.
"Moreover, the cooperation with the Jinling shipyard, which has recently built six ultra modern ice-class ro/ro vessels for our Group, will be further strengthened," added a spokesman for the Board of the Neapolitan Group.
Thanks to this last order, the Grimaldi Group completes the enhancing programme of its car carrier fleet, thus providing the construction of eight new units with the option of further eight. In addition to this kind of vessels, the current order list of the Group includes also the delivery, by the end of the year, of two con/ro vessels, last of a series of six units built at Korean shipyards, all to be deployed on the Group’s services linking Europe to West Africa.
Moreover, five con/ro vessels will be delivered by 2016 to the subsidiary company Atlantic Container Line. With a loading capacity of 3,800 TEU, 28,900 m2 of rolling freight and 1,307 cars, they will be the largest vessels of their type ever built in the world, as well as faster, cleaner and more efficient than the ones currently in service to ACL.
